Generally, when a pair of contacts in an open contact state are closed (close contact) at a certain speed in a power switching apparatus, bounce is generated between the contacts. The bounce is generally referred to as chattering. A voltage is applied between the contacts; and accordingly, an arc is generated by the chattering and a contact surface is roughened or ablated, so that, there is a demerit that contact resistance unnecessarily increases. Furthermore, a problem exists that when duration time of the chattering is long, the contacts fuse; and thus, the duration time of the chattering needs to be shortened as much as possible.
As a conventional switching apparatus taking into account suppression of the chattering, for example, there is disclosed a configuration in which, in a switching apparatus equipped with a vacuum interrupter having a fixed contact and a movable contact, the fixed contact side is fixed to an insulation support base via a fixed conductor and an elastic body. A fixing conductor portion serves as chattering suppression means; and the fixed conductor is composed of a multi-layer plate and is directly connected to the fixed contact so as not to interpose a member, which gives an influence on a chattering equal to or less than several kHz in natural vibration frequency, between the contacts. A plurality of minute collisions are repeated between the multi-layer plate at the time of contact closing; and thus, kinetic energy is consumed to suppress the duration time of the chattering (for example, see Patent Document 1).